President signs appropriations bill into law

President Bush signed a controversial transportation appropriations
bill into law on Thursday, Dec. 1.

The bill provides $65.9 billion in transportation funding for the
current fiscal year that began on Oct. 1, according to Bloomberg news.

Portions of the appropriations bill stirred controversy earlier this
year, particularly $452.5 million that had been set aside in the Highway Bill,
signed in August, for the construction of two bridges in
Alaska
.

$223 million would have gone to the infamous “bridge to nowhere” that
would connect the mainland to an island that is home to 50 people, an airport,
and a ferry service.

The earmarks for those bridges were removed from the final version of
the appropriations bill, though the money itself will still go to
Alaska
. Ultimately,
Alaska
officials will
decide how to spend the money and could use it for the bridges.